Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 81

The Pre-Long Beach Sale

Seated Liberty Half Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 884		1847-O. NGC graded MS-65. Lovely toning on both sides. Rare date in this grade. Lustrous Gem-quality surface and a coin which has grand overall eye appeal. The above-average strike complements this eye-appeal and, some might say, adds immeasurably to the appearance. We note a few light parallel lines across Liberty's midriff, a point that can be used as identifier. Generally well struck on the central devices, including Liberty's head, though the hair falling away onto her shoulder appears flat, as do some but not all of the stars. Very acceptable quality for the New Orleans Mint, a major coin production facility in the 1840s and 1850s until it was overshadowed by Philadelphia and later San Francisco once the Civil War ended. New Orleans ceased operations in 1861 and did not resume until 1879. Pop 4; 1 finer in 66. Estimated Value $9,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 885		1855-O. Arrows. PCGS graded MS-65. Mostly untoned and choice.Very well struck for this conditionally scarce Southern issue beneath smooth layers of light golden-orange toning. Easily the most visually arresting feature of this coin is its soft, frosted mint luster. Full swirling luster on both sides, in fact. A very thin line in the field under Liberty's elbow has likely resided there for nearly 150 years. One of the nicer O-mint Arrows Halves we have ever offered. Pop 21; 6 finer, 4 in 66, 2 in 67. (PCGS # 6283) . Estimated Value $8,000 - 8,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $9,400
Lot 886		1855-O. Arrows. PCGS graded EF-40. Nicely toned (PCGS # 6283) . Estimated Value $100 - 110. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $235
Lot 887		1857. NGC graded MS-65. A hint of light tone. A frosty, original uncleaned example, as satiny as when it was first issued. Substantial detail to the highpoints on this fine example, although an ineffectual imprint was left in a few areas by the recoil of the dies such as Liberty's head and some of the top stars. A gem. Pop 11; 2 finer in 66. Estimated Value $3,700 - 3,800. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 888		1859. PCGS graded Proof 65. CAC Approved. PQ. Nice blue and gold toning. Only 800 struck. A showy Gem Proof of this desirable No Motto style, with a cocktail of underlying mirror smoothness, frosty to satiny devices, that breathe scorching life into the highlights, which are nicely struck with crisp details aplenty. We take a moment to come up for air. As should anyone who discovers this 1859 Seated Half Dollar in the box while viewing lots. It turns heads at once. The showy color and the striking detail set this apart from others of 1859 or any other year. Time, the great revealer, may never again provide an occasion such as this. A wonderful original-toned beauty for the collector who wants not only a top-notch Proof, but the prettiest coin for his/her collection.Pop 8; 2 finer in 67. (PCGS # 6413) . Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 889		1863. PCGS graded AU-50. Untoned (PCGS # 6309) . Estimated Value $200 - 225. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $376
Lot 890		1864-S. PCGS graded EF-40. Nice even toning (PCGS # 6312) . Estimated Value $150 - 160. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $388
Lot 891		1876. NGC graded Proof 65. Beautiful blue and golden toning on both sides. Only 1,150 struck. The color is so vivid that its iridescence spreads across both sides and can be spotted even by a casual observer from across the room! Boldly struck for the date, certainly much finer than the business strikes this year, and worthy of strong bidder consideration. Pop 17; 8 finer at NGC. Note: Especially bold strike, even for an 1870s Proof, which tends to be right up there with the finest. It has been said that US Proof coins were struck on the Mint's hand-operated screw press until the year 1880. In that year, the mint switched to using its hydraulic press for medals and other large format items. The screw press gave Proof-quality planchets a especially strong "squeeze" from the dies, unlike the sharp slam that the steam-driven (and later, electric motor-operated) high speed coining presses used to make circulation strike coins. Estimated Value $2,600 - 2,800. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,935
Lot 892		1879 MS-65 Brown. Probably a piece struck at the turn of the century. Plated in Copper. Estimated Value $100-UP. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,028
Lot 893		1882. PCGS graded Proof 64+. CAC Approved. PQ. Beautiful blue and lilac toning. Only 1,100 struck. A glossy coin and close to Gem quality by any benchmark. What's more, this has an engaging display of eye-appealing color that soars across the highly reflective surface of this scarce date Half Dollar. The strike is typically bold for an 1882 Proof. Pop 2; 51 finer, 31 in 65, 18 in 66, 2 in 67. (PCGS # 6443) . Estimated Value $2,800 - 2,900. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,290
Lot 894		1885. PCGS graded Proof 66 Cameo PQ. CAC Approved. A beautiful dazzling and colorful coin with no objectionable marks or blemishes. On the contrary, everything is spectacular! And what's more, confirming the smooth mirrors, the cameo-frosted luster on the devices, we report excellent sharpness on all devices. Only 930 minted. Pop 1; none finer at PCGS . Intense rainbow toning on both sides. Finest graded at PCGS (PCGS # 86446) . Estimated Value $5,000-UP. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 895		1889. PCGS graded Proof 64. Unusual green and golden toning. Only 711 struck. The subset from 1879 to 1889 has long been a popular collecting interest. Business strikes all have low mintage. The Proofs are easy to assemble into a "short set" as it were. This is a very attractive example. Pop 47; 28 finer, 12 in 65, 11 in 66, 2 in 66+, 3 in 67. (PCGS # 6450) . Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,800. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,115